Wiseana umbraculatus
In 3 days ~30% in a week ~60%
Wiseana umbraculata, also known as the bog porina, is a species of moth belonging to the family Hepialidae. This species was regarded as being common in Whanganui in the early twentieth century. The wingspan is 38–50 mm for males and 49–66 mm for females. Adults are on wing from September to April. Adult male and female bog porina can be told apart as the males are much darker in colour and have noticeable dark spots on their forewings. The females are lighter in colour with brown dots on their forewings. Caterpillars of W. umbraculata have a brown head with a dirty white and grey body. Without DNA technology, it is not possible to tell the different species of porina apart at the larval/caterpillar stage.
Bog porina occur throughout New Zealand; however, they are uncommon in the northern half of the North Island. W. umbraculata occupy habitats ranging from alpine regions to lowland plains. They are distributed from the central North Island to the bottom of the South Island. The larvae live in pasture, and can be very damaging. The preferred habitat for eggs and caterpillars is long dense pasture. They thrive in warm, moist conditions. Very hot,... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rakiura National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | |
| 2 | Fiordland National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Bog Porina sighting in Fiordland National Park on a given day, based on 25 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 23rd most-seen of the 201 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 30%, and over a week to about 60%, if each day is a fresh chance.
December
In that month about 30% of wildlife watchers report a Bog Porina in Fiordland National Park on a given day, against under 5% in February to October, the lowest months.
Between 9 pm and midnight
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Bog Porina sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 pm and 6 am: it is mostly seen at night.
2nd of 2
Of the 2 parks where we can rate Bog Porina sightings, Fiordland National Park ranks 2nd at about 10%. The best odds are in Rakiura National Park (New Zealand, about 30%).
Same order: Lepidoptera
The closest relatives of the Bog Porina that you can see in Fiordland National Park (order Lepidoptera, Butterflies and Moths) are New Zealand Red Admiral (about 20%), Lacebark Looper (about 20%) and Forest Semilooper (about 20%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Bog Porina is recorded against all the insects logged in Fiordland National Park (25 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
